The Han culture is spreading strongly in Southeast Asia

Chapter 804 The Sacred Cut

Mogongze won his first battle on the road to the throne, the Battle of Austrach.

Of the four thousand French soldiers who entered Austrach village, more than six hundred died in the village. After retreating from the village, they were pursued by two thousand cavalrymen of Count Nauendorf who were waiting outside.

The bodies of French soldiers lay piled up haphazardly along the Australch River; at least two thousand bodies lay along the short stretch of three or four kilometers.

This far surpasses the number of battles fought in Austrach in history.

Historically, the French army suffered a total loss of just over two thousand men, while Austria also lost just over two thousand. The two sides were evenly matched in terms of casualties. The French army only suffered a strategic defeat, but never such a crushing defeat.

In the thick fog, it wasn't until the fastest-running defeated soldiers reached the Pfulendorf Heights where their coach Jourdan was stationed that Jourdan realized his strikers had suffered a crushing defeat.

From the sudden appearance of the Lu Fan army that crippled François Lefebvre, Jules Dan keenly sensed that the army from Austria was likely the entire nation's force.

Immediately, the French commander-in-chief chose to retreat, prolong the battle lines, temporarily avoid the enemy's sharp edge, and reorganize the troops.

However, Jourdan was very perceptive, but he underestimated the Austrian army's ability and determination to pursue him during the retreat.

After Ryanstein arrived with the remaining 25,000 men, he disregarded casualties and fatigue, and relentlessly pursued the French army.

The two sides were locked in a tug-of-war from Austrach all the way to the vicinity of Stokach before the French army finally managed to shake off Reinstein's entanglement.

In this series of pursuit battles, the French army suffered more than a thousand casualties, while the pursuing Austrian army suffered similar losses.

But after breaking contact, Jean-Baptiste Jurdand stopped running.

At this time, the French army still had more than 30,000 troops in Switzerland, guarding the Republic of Helvetii. If he ran away, the more than 100,000 Austrian troops would turn back to attack Zurich, and the French army there would be in dire straits.

While the French army was reorganizing on the spot, Archduke Karl arrived with the remaining Austrian troops, and a larger-scale battle was bound to break out between the two sides in Stokách.

However, at this time, Ryanstein, whose hair and beard had turned gray, expressed pessimism about the prospects of the war.

"As countries around the world are transforming into nation-states, the model of the Holy Roman Empire is clearly outdated."

Emperor Franz II, through his actions, further weakened the empire's cohesion.

In the present Holy Roman Empire, the Austrians, as the majority, lack the awareness to contribute to this nominal empire, let alone other races. It seems everyone is anticipating the collapse of this decaying empire!

As a commander who grew up under the education of Enlightenment thought, and also a somewhat radical leader with a strong yearning for a utopian society, Ryanstein disapproved of everything about the Holy Roman Empire.

The core idea is: how dare you, such a corrupt and decadent entity, call yourself the Roman Empire!
"Does the General of Chariots and Cavalry mean that this army, and even the subjects of the empire, lack the courage and determination to die for the empire, so their fighting spirit is weak and their combat effectiveness is low?"

When Ryanstein left, Mo Zibu deliberately promoted him to the rank of general and gave him the title of General of Chariots and Cavalry to recognize his foundational role in the modern army of Dayu.

"Yes, the title of Holy Roman Emperor is too weak in appeal. Apart from having a bunch of fancy but useless legal doctrines, it actually hinders the centripetal force of the main ethnic group towards the emperor."

Reinstein answered clearly: "In this pursuit, I led the Austrian elite to chase the retreating French forces, and the casualties on both sides were about the same."

Several times, if they had just put in a little more effort, they could have cut off part of the French army's retreat and then encircled them to slowly whittle them down. However, the officers and soldiers below were always unwilling to make certain sacrifices in exchange for the overall benefit, and their execution was ridiculously poor.

I can say this: if these so-called elite officers were in the Seris Empire, after the war, at least a third would have to atone with a title, a third would certainly be exiled or even beheaded, at most a third would be innocent, and as for those who would receive rewards, less than a tenth would be guilty.”

After listening, Mo Gongze remained silent, instead looking thoughtfully at Ryan Stein.

“Yes, Your Highness, I am also reminding you,” Ryanstein said directly. “Your Roman Empire must adopt a different core to unite people and shape a new national identity.”

I think you can find the answers to most organizational structures in the traditional culture of Seres, but not in religion.

This thing is one of the most important components in Constantinople, and even throughout Europe and the Middle East, and often the most important component.

In Seris, you haven't made good use of religious traditions and summaries; this is your weakness.

Mo Gongze smiled, “Because in Seris, the monarchy is not divinely ordained; its operation follows the principle that water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it.”

Therefore, we don't need religion. To deal with religion, we only need to tie its hands, break its legs, and control its ears, nose, throat, and tongue. We can release it when needed and take it back when we don't.

“But that won’t work in Europe, especially in the Balkans, because the only consensus there is religion.” Ryanstein shrugged.

"Your Highness, you need to recruit some religious talents, especially those from the orthodox religion. This will benefit you!"

Orthodox religions also have branches, the two largest being the Greek Orthodox Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church of Tsarist Russia.

Greek Orthodox rituals and doctrines are more ancient, and its organization is more similar to early Christianity, with a fragmented feel of tribal religion and a very relatively dispersed organization.

The Orthodox Christianity of Tsarist Rus' was full of Byzantine style, often emphasizing religious authority not through elaborate rituals, but through Byzantine courtly formalities.

The organization was also more rigorous than that of the Greek Orthodox Church, exhibiting a characteristic of religion serving the monarch.

Mo Gongze had actually considered this point as well. To recapture Constantinople, they would definitely have to use Orthodox Christianity, not Roman Catholicism, and certainly not Protestantism.

Currently, the Balkan Peninsula he seeks to control is dominated by three major forces: the Yugoslavs led by Serbia, the Principality of Modavia and the Principality of Wallachia, which split from Romania, and finally, the Greek faction.

Mo Gongze doesn't intend to touch the complex powder keg of the Yugoslavs, at least not now, but he certainly intends to utilize the Greek city-states and the two principalities of Romania.

At this time, as Tsarist Rus claimed to be the Third Rome and grew increasingly powerful, the Orthodox Christianity of Tsarist Rus had spread widely in Modavia and Wallachia. If Mogongze wanted to compete with Tsarist Rus for these two territories, he could not use the Orthodox Christianity of Tsarist Rus.

It seems I must indeed begin to confront the forces of resistance against Greece, such as the still-existing Greek Orthodox patriarchs and the secret schools that teach Greek language and classical Greek mythology among the people.

"Does Your Highness need me to take control of a portion of the cavalry?" Seeing that Mo Gongze seemed pleased, Ryanstein looked at him and asked:
“We are all infantry. We suffered heavy casualties when we attacked Austrach village. Our soldiers are quite tired. If we lose this battle, we will be in danger without cavalry cover.”

Although Ryanstein originally served in the French army, he was actually a Saxon and held the nominal title of Count of Svennia of the Wettin family, making him essentially one of the Holy Roman Empire's own.

Therefore, after returning from the Seres Empire, the renowned Ryanstein was warmly welcomed within the Holy Roman Empire, and even Emperor Francis II tried to win him over.

Ryanstein also took the opportunity to serve in the cavalry of the Holy Roman Empire, especially the Electorate of Saxony, so he could easily bypass Archduke Karl and win over one or two thousand cavalrymen.

Of course, this also reflects that the Holy Roman Empire's army, mainly composed of Austrians, was indeed incompetent. Even at this point, the command authority in the army was still not highly centralized.

“No need!” Mo Gongze stood up and said slowly, “I think we have a chance to win this battle, because the Austrians desperately need a victory to boost their morale.”

Even though they disliked Franz II, they couldn't let go of the great power status of the Holy Roman Empire. The more losses than wins of the past decade had fueled the Austrians' desire to prove themselves.

Many people projected this desire onto Archduke Karl, and even onto me.

I believe that, encouraged by the victory at the Battle of Austrach, as long as the Grand Duke himself appears on the front lines in this battle, the Austrian army's morale will be greatly boosted, and defeating, or at least repelling, the French will not be difficult!

After listening, Ryanstein seemed to understand. "Your Highness is right, but I will still go and prepare some cavalry to ensure the safety of our few thousand men."

Mo Gongze didn't stop him this time because he really needed to ensure safety.

On March 27th, the great battle began.

The Stokach region, located at the triangular intersection of France, Germany, and Switzerland, served as a transportation hub connecting the Swiss Neckar Valley and Swabia to the Franco-German region. However, despite its strategic importance, the town of Stokach was relatively small, with only a limited area of ​​valuable high ground nearby, insufficient to accommodate the hundreds of thousands of troops from both sides.

Therefore, both sides could only send out their elite troops to fight for Stokakh, while the rest of their troops were gathered around as reserves.

The method of warfare was to add fuel to the fire, with both sides desperately adding fuel to the fire in Stokakh until one side could no longer withstand it and collapsed.

This method of warfare dictates that from the very beginning, it will be a bloody, meat-grinding battle.

Indeed, the French army, with its superior fighting strength, was the first to seize the Stokach region. However, the Austrian army, which was repelled, displayed great willpower and did not collapse. Instead, they retreated to the forest outside the city of Stokach and hid there.

Seeing the critical situation, Archduke Charles fully demonstrated his command ability. He divided the nearly 70,000 Austrian troops into four columns and launched a series of fierce attacks in rotation, regardless of casualties. He made full use of the extra tens of thousands of troops to close the gap in combat power with the French army.

But by the afternoon, the Austrian army still couldn't take Stokácher. Archduke Karl, anxious, even went to the front line to encourage the Austrian troops.

Upon seeing Archduke Karl's arrival, the Austrians unleashed the last vestiges of their heroic spirit as great European powers, launching a desperate charge against the French army in Stokach.

The battle was extremely fierce, with generals on both sides falling in the fighting. On the Austrian side, even cavalry from Hungary braved artillery fire and volleys of gunfire to launch a frenzied attack on the mountain.

An hour later, the Austrian side had suffered more than two thousand casualties, but they still did not stop. The Austrian troops, dressed in red uniforms, continued to launch relentless attacks on the French army.

"Marquis, Grand Duke Karl still hasn't summoned us to battle." With Habsburg blood still flowing through his veins, Mo Gongze was becoming increasingly restless.

His companion, Rinstein, took a breath and replied, "The Grand Duke certainly won't let us go, because this is a proud day for the Austrians, and he won't allow it to be tarnished!"

The word "defile" is used heavily, yet it is also very precise.

Mo Gongze was in so much pain that he swayed twice.

Exhaling a soft breath, Mo Gongze silently recited his maternal grandmother Queen Theresa's name in his heart, and then prayed for his recently deceased mother, Grand Duchess Maria Elizabeth, before he could barely calm down.

He knew his time to leave was not far off.

On the battlefield, Archduke Karl, with his frail body, raised the banner of the Holy Roman Empire and galloped toward Stokácher. This was the only way he could inspire the Austrians' last passion for the empire.

This tactic proved effective. Seeing the frail Archduke Karl so valiant, the Austrian army on the battlefield erupted in cheers and launched their fiercest attack.

Inspired by Archduke Charles's bravery, the remnants of the Austrian army, who had previously retreated into the forest, emerged and launched another attack on the French army.

This became the final straw that broke the back of the French army.

French commander Jean-Baptiste Jurdand began to panic, because France's enemy was not just Austria, but basically all the European countries except Spain, and the French army had already suffered nearly two thousand casualties.

This meant that France would suffer a huge loss, even if it were to exchange two for one with the Austrians, let alone one for one. At this moment, Jules Dan even began to despair about the future of France.

If our army can only trade one for one with the Austrians, how can the French revolutionary government and the French Republic survive?

With this feeling of despair, before nightfall, Juldanne led the French, leaving behind a field of corpses, and hastily withdrew under the cover of darkness, ending the brutal Battle of Stokache.

In this small, confined space, corpses were piled up like mountains, resembling trees that had been arbitrarily cut down. Blood flowed in streams, trickling down the hillside.

Archduke Karl, the victor, did not choose to pursue, because the most elite 25,000 Austrian troops had suffered 1,700 dead and nearly 7,000 casualties, and were essentially incapacitated before reorganization.

Grand Duke Karl remained silent for a long time before this mountain of corpses and sea of ​​blood, as if he could see the empire's difficult future.

The Austrians finally won and were triumphant, but it seems to be just a placebo.

Meanwhile, on the Italian front, the renowned general Suvorov, leading elite Russian troops, repeatedly defeated the French army in northern Italy. The French Directory gained Italian territory in the Treaty of Campo-Formio, but almost all of it was lost.

In May, Archduke Charles led the Austrian army to attack Zurich, and the Austrian and French armies engaged in the First Battle of Zurich.

In June, French commander-in-chief André Masséna was isolated and helpless, and the newly established Swiss Republic of Helvetii was in chaos and unable to provide him with effective assistance.

In order to preserve his strength, André Masséna led his troops to withdraw from Zurich, and Austria took the opportunity to recover all of Switzerland except for a few cantons.

Also in June, the English Navy assisted the Ottoman Army in landing in Egypt, attempting to annihilate the French Expeditionary Force in Egypt, whose retreat had been cut off.

The situation was extremely critical, but at this moment, Napoleon's talent for command finally came to the fore.

Between 18,000 and 20,000 Ottoman troops landed under the cover of British forces, while Napoleon took advantage of their unstable foothold to launch a preemptive attack.

The French concentrated 8,000 men and charged the Ottoman army, which had just established its lines, and easily defeated them. The routed Ottoman army then charged back into their own lines, helping the French to completely disrupt their own ranks.

Amidst the French's exhilarating slaughter, tens of thousands of Ottoman soldiers, gripped by fear, fled into the sea. Even their commander, Mustafa Pasha, was personally cut off from his horse and captured by Murat, the King of Hussars.

In this battle, the French army suffered 220 casualties but killed more than 2,000 Ottoman soldiers. More than 10,000 Ottoman soldiers drowned, more than 5,000 were captured, and 2,000 to 3,000 went missing.

The so-called Ottoman elite troops sent by the Ottoman Caliph, who had experienced the Sixth Russo-Turkish War, were completely annihilated.

But this battle, which exposed the Ottomans' ignorance and almost cemented their image as the "sick man of Europe," could not save the French expeditionary force in Egypt.

Because they had no way out, even their commander-in-chief, Napoleon Bonaparte, was considering abandoning them.

. . . .

Vienna, the Habsburg family cemetery.

Mo Gongze, heartbroken by Archduke Karl's defeat at the Battle of Stokach, came here with his father, Mo Zirong, where the father and son bid a final farewell to Queen Theresa and Grand Duchess Maria Elizabeth.

“Your mother gave you life, and Her Majesty the Queen gave me a second life.” Mo Zirong looked at her son and patted him on the shoulder.

"Now, our responsibilities to the Habsburg family and the Holy Roman Empire, as father and son, have come to an end."

I want to return to my beloved hometown, my son, while you will embark on a path never before trodden.

“You are far more capable than me. As long as you can sever the last bit of gratitude you owe to the Habsburg family, you will definitely be able to accomplish this and make our family the strongest weapon for China to control Europe!”

"Father, please rest assured, I have figured it out. The Habsburg family has done me no favors. What I felt before was the love from my grandmother and mother."

"I can never repay the profound kindness of my mother, but I owe the Habsburg family nothing!"

At this moment, Mo Gongze, having walked through twenty-five years of his life, finally shed the last imprint of the Habsburg family on his body.

He severed the Habsburg bloodline in his body from the affection of his grandmother and mother, and became a completely Chinese person.

Mo Zirong was also pleased to see his son's transformation; his final mission, to prevent his son Mo Gongze from becoming a "banana person" (a person who is culturally Westernized and lacks cultural refinement), had been accomplished.

"Let's go to London, and after I witness your wedding, I'll head home!"

(End of this chapter)